Gunaratne and Another v. Ceylon Electricity Board and Others – sllr 1991 volume 1 page 239

The case between Gunarathne and Another and Ceylon Electricity Board and Others addressed whether a licensee under the Electricity Act and the Ceylon Electricity Board Act could lawfully require payment of arrears owed by a previous occupier as a condition for the restoration of electrical supply to a new occupier. It was determined that such a demand was in contravention of section 50 of the Electricity Act, which prohibits the recovery of prior occupants’ arrears from new occupants before reconnection. The findings established that the premises had been unoccupied since the previous tenant’s departure, rendering subsequent meter readings unreliable and any arrears so computed invalid against the petitioners. The respondents’ refusal to reconnect electricity without payment of earlier arr